The Second Chance of Bree Tanner
by junebug13669
Summary: When Bella steps in on Bree's behalf after the battle in Eclipse, canon is shot to hell. What happens when Bree gets a second chance at her second life while the world is crashing down around her feet?
1. The Second Chance of Bree Tanner

Disclaimer: Any characters, places, etc. you might recognize from the Twilight Saga and The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner is not mine and belongs to Stephenie Meyer or its respective owner. Any original characters, plots, etc. are the property of myself. I am in no way affiliated with Stephenie Meyer, her publishing company, Summit Entertainment or anyone connected with them. No copyright infringement is intended.

NOTE(to readers): The writing in italics is taken directly from The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner but in no way am I claiming it as my own original work, I am merely using it to set up the story.

The Second Chance of Bree Tanner

_"Wait," the mind reader said loudly._

_He turned to Carlisle and spoke quickly. "We could explain the rules to the young one. She doesn't seem unwilling to learn. She didn't know what she was doing."_

_"Of course," Carlisle said eagerly, looking at Jane. "We would certainly be prepared to take responsibility for Bree."_

_Jane's face looked like she wasn't sure if they were joking, but if they __**were**__ joking, they were funnier than she'd given them credit for._

_Me, I was touched to the core. These vampires were strangers, but they gone out on this dangerous limb for me. I already knew it wasn't going to work, but still._

_"We don't make exceptions," Jane told them, amused. "And we don't give second chances. It's bad for our reputation."_

_It was like she was discussing someone else. I didn't care that she was talking about killing me. I knew the yellow-eyes couldn't stop her. She was the vampire police. But even though the vampire cops were dirty-really dirty-at least the yellow-eyes knew it now._

_"Which reminds me...," Jane went on, her eyes locking on thehuman girl again and her smile widening. "Caius will be __**so**__ interested to hear that you're still human, Bella. Perhaps he'll decide to visit."_

_**Still**__ human. So they were going to change the girl. I wondered what they were waiting for._

_"The date is set," said the little vampire with the short black hair and the clear voice. "Perhaps we'll come to visit you in a few months."_

_Jane's smile disappeared like someone had wiped it off. She shrugged without looking at the black-haired vampire, and I got the feeling that as much as she might have hated the human girl, she hated this small vampire ten times as much._

_Jane turned back to Carlisle with the same vacant expression as before. "It was nice to meet you, Carlisle-I'd thought Aro was exaggerating. Well, until we meet again..."_

_This would be it, then. I still didn't feel afraid. My only regret was that I couldn't tell Fred more about all of this. He was going almost totally blind into this world full of dangerous politics and dirty cops and secret covens. but Fred was smart and careful and talented. What could they do to him if they couldn't even see him? Maybe the yellow-eyes would meet Fred someday. __**Be nice to him, please,**__ I thought at the mind reader._

_"Take care of that, Felix," Jane said indifferently, nodding at me. "I want to go home."_

_"Don't watch," the redheaded mind reader whispered._

_I closed my eyes._

"Wait!" the voice belonging to the human girl called out. "Jane, wait, please. Give her a chance, she doesn't deserve this."

"Like I said, Bella-the Volturi don't give second chances." Jane said, glancing at Bella with a wicked sparkle in her eyes, before turning once more to leave the clearing.

"I'll come with you. To Volterra. I'll come with you if you leave her with the Cullens."

"Bella, I won't let you do this-" said the mind reader, moving to stand in front of the human, protecting her from Jane.

"It's not your choice, Edward. It's never been your choice." she replied softly, stepping around the mind reader-Edward-and approaching Jane with a determination that I'd rarely seen even in my kind. "Let her live, along with the Cullens, and I'll come to Volterra willingly. You say you don't give second chances, but surely you make bargains. Think of it as an exchange-her life for mine."

Edward began to growl angrily as Jane's smile slithered onto her face as she took in Bella's stature.

We all waited with bated breath as she thought her actions through.

"I will consult with Aro regarding this..._exchange_, though I am certain he will be more than pleased with these developments." she addressed the Cullens before turning to me. "Congratulations, newborn. You've been bought another day of life. Enjoy what you can of it."

And with that statement, Jane turned and left, the other two dark-cloaks following silently into the smoke, dark shapes disappearing as quickly as they'd appeared.

There was a collective silence in the clearing and I could hear Bella's heart beating rapidly. She exhaled and I almost lost what little control I had, unable to think of nothing but tearing the girl's throat open and draining her dry faster than she would ever comprehend.

Edward snarled and suddenly I was flat on my back, screaming and rolling on the ground in excruciating pain while Jasper stood over me, rage bleeding into his eyes and my left leg in his hand.

"Control yourself or you _will_ die, regardless of Aro's decision." he snarled, lips curling back over his teeth.

"Jasper!" the mother, Esme, said, appalled at Jasper's actions.

"I won't apologize for this, Esme. I know how a newborn's mind works." Jasper said, grabbing me by my hair and dragging me bodily across the clearing before another voice-the bell voice-cut in, making him seize up in his tracks.

"She's lost her mate, Jasper." the bell-voice said sadly and Jasper turned to the small, black-haired vampire with a pained look on his face. "At least allow her some compassion. She'll need it, very soon."

"Alice-"

"_Please_, Jasper. Let her grieve." Alice whispered, taking the hand that was currently twisted in my hair and removing it as gently as possible. I fell the rest of the way to the ground with a thunk and rolled onto my side, sobbing violently into the earth, not caring if it got in my mouth.

_Diego, oh, Diego..._

"Hush, child," said Esme, scooping my prone form into her arms on the ground, choosing to rock me gently instead of ending my miserable existence. She cooed into my ear, whispering words that sooth a child, words only a mother knows, and I buried my face in her chest. "It will be all right."

"Please..."

That was the only word I could say as the Cullens stood nearby and watched me fall apart.


	2. Decisions, Decisions

Disclaimer: Any characters, places, etc. you might recognize from the Twilight Saga and The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner is not mine and belongs to Stephenie Meyer or its respective owner. Any original characters, plots, etc. are the property of myself. I am in no way affiliated with Stephenie Meyer, her publishing company, Summit Entertainment or anyone connected with them. No copyright infringement is intended.

Decisions, Decisions

In the short run, Jasper refused to give me my leg back as a precaution towards Bella's safety in my presence and the Cullens debated over how to get me back to their home. In the long run, Esme volunteered to carry me through the woods but I somehow wound up in the older male blond's grasp when he refused to let me anywhere near Esme any longer.

I worried about this but anything was better than Jasper, who would've dragged me through the underbrush by my hair again no doubt.

As the Cullens carried me back through the forest, I could hear Alice and Edward having an argument under their breaths. Edward was growling a lot and Alice still kept her sunny disposition but there was an edge to Alice's voice that wasn't there before and I had no doubt that it was directed at Edward. Letting myself relax, I tuned in on the conversation and realised that it was over what had happened in the clearing.

"..idn't you see this, Alice?"

"I've told you, Edward! I _can't see_ snap decisions like that!"

"You were close enough, why didn't you just rip Jane's head off, then?"

"Are you_ mad?_ I saw us all die that way!"

"And we won't die like this?"

"No! We'll be broken for a while but then things'll change...somehow. I'm not sure exactly...I can't see-It's better overall, this twist of fate." Alice murmured, her eyes falling on my comatose form and she nodded toward me.

Edward's head snapped toward me and he bared his teeth at me, growling dangerously as he broke off from the group and began to run faster until he was a speck on the horizon.

"So, exactly how old _are_ you?" the bell-voice giggled in my ear and I blinked in surprise.

"What?" I asked, suspicious of this sudden-if not pleasant-interrogation.

"How old are you? I mean, when Victoria changed you? How old were you?" Alice asked, eyes sparkling at me.

"Uh...I think I was fifteen, maybe? Maybe I was sixteen." I replied, unsure as I dug through the murky memories and drew a partial blank. "Fifteen seems more likely."

"We'll get along great then!" Alice said, laughing happily and tugging lightly on a clump of my hair. "I'm nineteen. I think."

"You think?" I asked, confused at how she couldn't know her own age.

"Oh, yes. You see when I was human-"

"_Alice!_"

Jasper's snarl curled up from behind her and her face fell slightly. Sighing, she shrugged one shoulder and plastered the smile on her face again, running a hand through my hair almost lovingly before she was gone and I was left alone with my transporter.

"I feel the need to apologize for Jasper, young one." the yellow-eyes holding me said, a small but forced smile crossing his features. "He had a much...rougher upbringing than any of us and still has trouble with a few things. Newborns being one of those so, please, don't take it personally."

"Why?" I asked, looking up and studying his face.

"I beg your pardon?" he asked, glancing down at me, brow furrowed in slight confusion.

"Why would you defend me like that? I was nothing but horrible to you and your family."

The yellow-eyes smiled warmly down at me, understanding flooding his gaze.

"We've all been where you are, young one, and we managed to survive by sheer luck. Somehow, we've all been granted a chance to belong somewhere, with someone, even if it's not completely in one world or another. We are first and foremost a family and we are not like others of our kind." He explained, slowing as we approached our destination and my throat began to burn again as Bella invaded my senses.

"Oh _no..._" I moaned and yellow-eyes chuckled.

"When did you last hunt, young one?"

"My name is Bree."

"Well, then, my name is Carlisle. It's very nice to meet you, outside of a battle setting, of course."

"Yeah, well..."

"Perhaps we could go hunting together-"

"I'll be going with her, Carlisle." interupted a voice that still sent chills down my spine.

"Jasper, truly I think-"

"Carlisle." Jasper said gravely and I knew that was the end of the conversation.

"Very well, Jasper. Remember what Alice said." Carlisle said, tapping the side of his nose as Jasper nodded shortly.

"Let's go." Jasper hissed and I couldn't keep frombaring my teeth at him, even as he pulled my into his arms and I shuddered in terror. I saw a small smirk slither its way across Jasper's mouth before we were off and I turned ahead, wondering if I would actually survive this trip.

"Put these on."

The soft material of a pair of shorts hit me dead center in the face and, before i could stop myself, I had thrown the shorts as far from me as possible and crouched into a defensive stance, growling rabidly at the material.

"Put them on or I rip it off and burn it this time." Jasper hissed and I backed away, still hissing if not growling, and he tensed, like he was expecting me to run off. Instead, I sort of curled around the edge of the clearing, trying to get my head on straight, get to the pair of shorts and avoid turning my back on Jasper, all at the same time.

I sent him one more angry hiss before turning and yanking the jeans up over my hips, fastening them and turning back to face him.

"Come here a moment."

I hesitated and I suddenly felt a wave of lethargic calm sweep my body, dulling my senses and bringing to mind sleep and dreams I could only vaguely remember.

"Come. Here." he said again, his voice firmer this time but no less commanding than any other time that he'd spoken to me. I flitted quickly across the clearing until I stood in front of him, staring at the ground and wondering why he wasn't just tearing my head off right then.

Fingers grasped my chin less than gently and I found myself staring into his bright yellow eyes, unable to pull away as the color sparkled so brightly that I wanted to reach out and absolutely _drown_ in the honey I was sure I'd be able to taste there, vampire or not.

I lifted my hand and pressed gently in the area around his eyes and was surprised when he let me do so. His own fingers slipped from my chin and he straightened up, turning away and clasping his hands behind his back.

I nearly cried when the beautiful color went away and I nearly sobbed when it came back as he turned to face me again.

"Do you know why our eyes are different than yours?" he asked and I studied him, trying to discern if this was some sort of trick question.

"Be-because you're-" I choked out, scared of what might happen if I dared call this terrifying man before me...well..._old_. I still remember that some people are senitive about stuff like that and I wanted to keep all my appendages attached.

The smirk on his face came back and I became confused at how it seemed like he _knew_ I was afraid. Almost like he could sense it rolling off me in waves.

"Because I'm what, exactly?" he asked and the terror increased.

"'tkillme!" I spit out, clenching my eyes closed in anticipation of an attack

What I did _not_ expect, however, was the laughter that rolled out of his throat as he tossed his head back and laughed.

"Is that what they told you, then, Riley and Victoria?" he asked, mirth dancing in his eyes. "That we were _old_?"

"Aren't you?" I squeaked out and Jasper guffawed again. I couldn't help but stare.

"Victoria was older than even Carlisle, and _he's _ancient!" Jasper replied, chuckling again and I couldn't help but smile. "We're not _exactly_ sure but from Edward could pull from the coven's thoughts, Victoria was born as a human sometime mid-3rd century and she was named Vitruvia. Not much is known about her from history books but no one ever really knew what happened to her*."

"I guess we'll never know, right?" I asked and Jasper's eyes grew darker but shimmered just a tiny bit and the colld facade was back in place.

"I guess not. And we're not _old_ old, though myself and Carlisle are pushing the line. Our eyes are different because of what we eat. We find it much easier to blend into society if we don't walk around with blood red irises and, so, we've taken to hunting animals."

"_Animals?_" I shrieked, taking a step backwards and Jasper tensed again. "You _eat_ defenseless _bunnies_? _Bleargh!_"

Jasper pulled a cell phone from his pocket and dialed a number, waiting. It rang three times before a male picked up and Jasper's eyes slid to mine.

"Carlisle? Yeah, it's Jasper. This might be harder than we thought."

I sat on the house top with Jasper, full of the most digusting blood I'd ever tasted and quietly contemplating what might be my last twilight as the sun began to go down.

A wave of calm and mild happiness wove it's way through my veins and I sighed.

"Thanks but no thanks. I don't think I have much longer." I said sadly, braiding my hair absentmindedly.

"It might be longer than you think. Alice hasn't seen anything change yet."

"Like I said."

I glanced down from the roof and froze as a pair of glittering red eyes stared up at me and Jasper, who'd begun to growl warily.

"We've come to speak regarding your coven's fate, beast-drinker. Do you really think attack is wise?" Jane said, turning her eyes away from us and gliding into the house.

"Let's go." Jasper said, grabbing my hand and jumping to the ground below before turning and dragging us inside to what was certain death.

The Volturi didn't give second chances.

*A/N: I can't tell you how long it took me to come up with some sort of history for Victoria just so Jasper and Bree could have that little moment there. But suddenly it fell into my metaphorical lap. In 271 there was a woman named Vitruvia who was considered a tyrant-go check out for more info and the picture that gave me the idea. The woman on the coin has wild, curly hair-just like Victoria.

On another note, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm a little wary of it but I didn't want to scrap it like I originally wanted to because I had put effort into getting it straight. I may go back and edit it a little better in the future but I really do hope you enjoyed it! Don't forget to review and thank you to the four people who already have so far(*ominously*You know who you are!).


	3. Ultimatum

Disclaimer: Any characters, places, etc. you might recognize from the Twilight Saga and The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner is not mine and belongs to Stephenie Meyer or its respective owner. Any original characters, plots, etc. are the property of myself. I am in no way affiliated with Stephenie Meyer, her publishing company, Summit Entertainment or anyone connected with them. No copyright infringement is intended.

A/N: For anyone confused at Jasper's sudden change of heart regarding Bree, there's a reason for that. Also, I'm so, so sorry it took me this long to update! I had to go back and research a few things and then I got a tad bit lazy but I hope you like it? Don't forget to review please!

Ultimatum

Jasper dropped my hand at the same moment my stomach plummeted through the floor as we entered the living room.

The Cullen family sat or stood in various places around the room. Esme was adjusting the vase on the table beneath the painting on the wall, despite the vase being dead center. Edward stood behind Bella's chair, a hand on her shoulder, which she gripped as tightly as she could. The beautiful blond vampire and her apparent companion sat together on the love seat, exchanging quiet words and murmurs. Carlisle was confering with Alice over by the window.

The dark-cloaks stood by the grand piano that was centered between the living room and the next room, looking menacing.

"Aro has come to a decision and has decided, due to his extreme _liking_ for your _pet_-" Jane looked as if she bitten into something bitter or rotten and was now rolling it around in her mouth but not exactly willing to spit it out. "-he will offer you a compromise."

A growl began from the direction of Edward and Bella and he shook his head violently.

"No! No, absolutely not!" he said, rejecting whatever he'd surely read in Jane's mind.

"You have no choice in the matter now, Edward." Jane said gleefully and I wasn't sure what was coming but I was positive that it was beyond horrible. "You see, since Miss Swan gave Aro an 'in', if you will, he's decided to capitalize."

My breath caught in my throat.

"Here are the terms of Aro's negotiation: the newborn will go free as will the rest of the Olympic Coven. Miss Swan and Miss Cullen, however, will be joining us in Italy until further notice."

Rage swirled through the air and Jasper growled, zipping immediately to stand in front of Alice, who put a soothing hand on his shoulder.

"Failure to comply will result in the complete destruction of the Olympic Coven as well as the unexplained deaths of Chief Charles Swan, Missus Renee Dwyer, Mister Phillip Dwyer and Missus Cynthia Clairton and her family."

"No!" Alice cried suddenly, hand clenching and Jasper whined in pain but kept in front of her. "We'll come with you! I promise! Just-please, just leave her out of this. She doesn't know anything."

There was a loud uproar from various members of the family-Esme sobbed into Carlisle's shoulder, Jasper growled again and Emmett soon joined him, his baser instincts taking over in the face of danger.

"Jasper, _please_." Alice murmured, the same way she'd done for me before, and danced around to face him. "I promise you both-Bella and I will be _fine_. Just _let us go_."

Jasper growled again and I felt hopelesness eek out from behind his calm as he nodded, pressing his lips to Alice's fingers one last time before letting go amicably. He glanced around and, when his eyes fell on me, I felt such hatred that I had to sit down where I stood.

"Bella-"

"Edward, please. You heard Alice-we'll be fine. Just tell everyone we decided to elope instead. I'll call from Italy to confirm a few things and we'll be fine. We'll be fine." she said, but she sounded like she was trying to convince herself instead of Edward.

"Alice, you've seen it? You're sure?" Edward asked hesitantly and Alice nodded before turning to Jasper.

"Oh, and Jasper? Remember: Where there's fire, there's not always smoke." she said, bouncing toward Bella and pulling her back toward the dark-cloaks. "Just _think_ of the shopping in Italy, Bella! The _shoes_! Ooo-do you think they'll let me bring my Porsche? It's just perfect for the weather there!"

Edward backed away from a smirking Jane, who just nodded and turned.

"We'll be going then. I'll give Aro your good wishes." she said before their dark cloaks swirled around them and they-and Bella and Alice-were gone.

There was a moment of stillness in the Cullen household.

In the stillness, I noticed a growling that only grew louder and looked up to find two exceedingly angry vampires glaring at me, teeth bared. I felt fear like I'd never felt before and it only seemed to intensify the angrier the two got.

"This is _all your fault!_" Edward hissed, stalking toward me and I scrabbled backward as fast as I could.

"_Edward Anthony Cullen!_" Esme hissed from across the room and then she stood in front of my cowering form, unwilling to let the homicidal vampires take a crack at me. "It's for the best and you will _not_ blame Bree-she's innocent in all of this."

"It's her that made Bella-"

"Didn't you hear Alice? We will be a family again but for now we must take actions to prevent exposure. Bree needs to be taught the proper way to hunt and we have to prepare to move again, while you must not be seen at all. Regardless of what you _think_ to be true, mark my words gentlemen-if you hurt Bree in any way that I deem unfit, I will tear you apart piece by piece and bury you in my next garden plot." Esme said definitively, crossing her arms with an air of finality.

I blinked and Edward was gone but Jasper stalked toward me and Esme stepped in front of me again.

"I'll need to teach her how to hunt, Esme. I don't trust her with anyone else." he snapped and she nodded, stepping aside for him to grab my arm and yank me roughly across the foyer and out into the night.

My shoulder began to burn.

"_You're not listening!_" he hissed in my ear as I shivered in the clearing he'd dragged me to, to begin my hunting. "You're still listening for civilization-you need to understand that you're no longer hunting humans!"

"I'm trying!" I yelled back, my eyes scrunching up in frustration. If I could still cry, I was positive that they would be brimming with unshed tears. "I don't know _how_!"

Jasper sighed in annoyance and approached me, placing his hands on my shoulders firmly. He spun me around so that he stood at my back and I could feel his unneeded breath tickle my ear.

"_Close your eyes._" he hissed and I scrunched them shut as tightly as I could. "Relax. I won't hurt you. I'm teaching you to survive. Darwin and Freud don't rule our world here-demons do."

I couldn't help but relax at the way Jasper's voice slid into my head through my ear, turning my entire muscle structure into something like mush or mud. Completely relaxed, I began to listen to the world around me...and just about _died_ at the comparison between his world and mine.

In my world, there were angry humans, yelling at one another, flesh making contact with flesh, bones breaking and cries of pain and agony.

In his, sea gulls called to each other from within the clouds floating overhead, the wind sluiced around their wings as they fell and rose gracefully.

In my world, cars honked, music played loudly, heartbeats thrummed through my veins like they were my own.

In his world, rivers trickled and gushed happily, miles away, birds sang to each other and small woodland animals chirruped at one another as they made their way across the forest.

In his world, the strong heartbeat that I caught invaded my senses painfully but not unwelcomely, bringing with it a robust scent, tangy but thick...something like peanut butter or yogurt rolling around in one's mouth.

My nostrils flared angrily and I could _feel_ Jasper's lips turn up in a smile.

"Very good." he hissed in my ear, releasing my shoulders suddenly. "Now go fetch."

I was off like a shot-chasing the smell, wanting to wrap myself in it like a blanket, to see if it was as thick in person as it smelled from far away. A few moments passed and I curved sharply to the left, toward the smell and another that I can only describe as _nasty_. The smell was watery and bitter and I gagged quietly as I shot out from the bush to face a river and my prey.

The black bear across the river suddenly snapped his head up to lock eyes with me and growl weakly. The fish it held in it's maw went free until it bled out before the bear turned tail and galloped into the forest.

The scent made its way to me and I leapt the river in a leap that would've put Superman to shame in order to follow it. I leapt from tree to tree, gaining length on the bear until I managed to land right in front of it, leaving a small crater in the forest floor as the creature tried to backpedal in an attempt to get away.

"Stop playing around and kill it." a male voice invaded my consciousness and I hissed, angry at the intrusion on my fun but did what he said regardless, somehow knowing that it was either the bear or me that would end up dead.

I leaped after the bear again, digging my fingers in through its soft fur and yanking painfully. The roar of the beast was cut short as its head spun around on its shoulders and the bear dropped to the forest floor, my teeth already ravaging its neck, the warm blood spilling over my lips and down my throat and-

I spat the nasty tasting liquid on the ground, gagging as I tried to get the peanut butter feeling out of my mouth. I could distantly hear laughter in the background as I gagged and spit.

"That's gross!" I spat, turning to face the blond vampire, rubbing the back of my hand over my tongue again and again in an effort to remove the flavor. "That's just-that's-that's-"

"That's what you get to live on from now on. Get used to it." Jasper replied, smirking at me in a mixture of wicked and amused.

"That's _it_?" I screeched and he winced. "Sorry."

"You get used to it after a while. It gets rid of enough of the burn to be passable." Jasper explained as I turned back to the bear hesitantly.

"How long did it take you to get used to...well, y'know?" I asked, sinking my teeth into the bear once again and drinking slowly, trying to find the novelty behind the taste. It had just begun to sweeten when Jasper decided to answer my question.

"About forty years."

Blood sprayed across the bear's fur, dying the black hair mahogany.


End file.
